ABSTRACT
Gait retraining may need to be undertaken only by some runners, and prescription should be based upon an individual assessment that includes other clinical considerations. Gait retraining has been used successfully to lower the risk of developing certain injuries and to reduce the pain associated with specific overuse injuries; however, modification of running style redistributes loads, which may increase injury risk in other parts of the body. The overall injury rate is similar between barefoot runners and those who wear trainers; however, small amounts of barefoot running may be useful as a gait retraining, conditioning and rehabilitation approach in some runners. The biomechanics of running has been well researched, with early work dating back to the 1930s. The pursuit of the ‘perfect running form’ is likely to be a fruitless task, particularly when often sex-aggregated data are used to assess associations between running economy and gait.
